This invention relates to stackable electrical connectors and in particular to a bracket for use in stacking multi-contact electrical connectors in superposed relationship and to a stacked electrical connector assembly comprising such connectors. The invention particularly concerns, the stacking of electrical connectors so that the stack can be mounted on, and secured to, a circuit board with provision being made for electrically connecting metal shields of the connectors to a ground on the circuit board.
There are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,818,239 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,878,856, means for stacking multi-contact electrical connectors in superposed relationship for mounting on a circuit board, such means comprising a pair of sheet metal brackets for supporting the connectors in their superposed relationship and a pin extension member comprising an insulating housing with electrical contact elements therein, for mating with the top connector of the stack to connect the contact elements thereof to conductors on the circuit board. According to U.S. Pat. No. 4,818,239 the sheet metal brackets each comprise a plate having at opposite ends thereof flanges which are secured to mounting ears at the ends of the connectors. The sheet metal brackets are disposed between the stacked connectors and so do not engage the circuit board and are not intended to be secured thereto. The stack is attached to the circuit board only by inserting pins projecting from the pin extension number and from the bottom connector into plated-through holes in the circuit board. According to U.S. Pat. No. 4,878,856, the sheet metal brackets are right angle brackets, the upright parts of which are secured to respective mounting ears at the ends of the connectors and the transverse parts of which are secured to the circuit board by means of spring metal fasteners.
There is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,842,528, a multi-contact electrical connector for application to a circuit board, the connector having an outer shield. Ground straps formed integrally with the shield are secured to mounting flanges at opposite ends of the housing of the connector. The ground straps have widened regions which are aligned with holes in the mounting flanges. Solder tails project rearwardly from the contact elements in the housing and are rectangularly bent so as to extend downwardly beyond the housing through slots in a solder tail spacer plate which projects rearwardly therefrom.
The present invention is directed towards the provision of means for stacking shielded multi-contact electrical connectors in superposed relationship with the use of a minimum of separate parts and which at the same time enable the connectors to be positively secured together to provide a unitary and rigid stacked connector assembly which can be safely applied to a circuit board. The stacking means serving to connect the shields of the connectors to ground conductor means on the circuit board when the assembly has been applied thereto, as well as serving to secure the assembly to the circuit board.